Newspaper delivery means and method

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for delivering printed material wherein the apparatus includes a printed material carrier comprising a bag and a stanchion operable for engaging a ground surface and supporting the bag above the ground surface. The stanchion includes an upwardly projecting rod operable to engage apertures within the bag at one end thereof. Printed material to be delivered is retained within the interior of the bag. The bag and printed material contents normally hang downwardly against a crosspiece transversely connected to the stanchion rod. The bag is provided with at least a 180* twist about the longitudinal axis while maintaining the aperture thereof in a stationary posture. The crosspiece further serves to provide torque stabilization for the bag in this twisted posture. The method includes the steps of inserting printed material within the interior of an open mouth bag, aligning apertures of the bag with the free end of an upright rod portion of a stanchion, sliding the bag down the rod, twisting the bag and printed material contents about the longitudinal axis of the bag while preventing the aperture from twisting and vertically supporting and torque stabilizing the bag by a member connected to the rod in a posture above the ground surface.

United States Patent [1 1 Jacobs et al.

[ NEWSPAPER DELIVERY MEANS AND METHOD [75] Inventors: John P. Jacobs;Melvin F. Jacobs,

both of Hastings, Mich.

[73] Assignee: J-Ad Graphics Inc., Hastings, Mich.

[22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 436,059

Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-Peter A.Aschenbrenner Attorney, Agent, or FirmPrice, Heneveld, Huizenga & CooperAug. 26, 1975 [57 ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for delivering printedmaterial wherein the apparatus includes a printed material carriercomprising a bag and a stanchion operable for engaging a ground surfaceand supporting the bag above the ground surface. The stanchion includesan upwardly projecting rod operable to engage apertures within the bagat one end thereof. Printed material to be delivered is retained withinthe interior of the bag. The bag and printed material contents normallyhang downwardly against a crosspiece transversely connected to thestanchion rod. The bag is provided with at least a 180 twist about thelongitudinal axis while maintaining the aperture thereof in a stationaryposture. The crosspiece further serves to provide torque stabilizationfor the bag in this twisted posture.

supporting and torque stabilizing the bag by a member connected to therod in a posture above the ground surface.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures NEWSPAPER DELIVERY MEANS AND METHODBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method andapparatus for delivering materials to individual residences. Moreparticularly, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus fordelivering printed material such as newspapers to individual residences.

In the past distributors of printed materials, such as newspapers toindividual residences along a roadway, utilized the homeownersconventional mail box. Such mail box structures however tend to varywidely in design due at least in part to individual tastes andpreferences. Most of these units however, are provided with a lid ordoor which must be opened and closed during each delivery. This openingand closing operation along with encountering a wide variety of designsand access locations tended to impede the delivery process which in someinstances may entail 300 to 400 individual residences. Further, thegovernment postal service objects to such use of these mail boxes.

Paper distributors in seeking a means for minimizing this bottleneck andthus facilitating paper deliveries to individual residences designedtubular delivery units having one closed end and one end continuouslyopen. Such devices are mounted upon an upright member such as a woodenor metal post and are positioned at the edge of a roadway. According toconventional practice, a newspaper carrier may then drive along the openmail receiving tubes and deposit a rolled or folded newspaper rapidlywithin the units.

While cylindrical tubes of the foregoing design have achievedsignificant commercial utilization over the past few years, room forsignificant improvement remains. In this connection, previously knownmail delivery tubes are frequently constructed of plastic and, thus,subject to vandalism and breakage. These units are costly to initiallyinstall and replace. Still further, tubular mail receiving sleeves tendto be somewhat visually displeasing and clutter a roadway particularlyalong densely populated areas.

The cost of installing these tubes could be significantly reduced inrural areas if they could be mounted on the same post as that used forthe mail box. This expedient, however, is impractical because itnecessitates their being located below the mail box at a height which isinaccessible when delivery is made by passenger car or truck.

Accordingly, it would be highly advantageous to provide a simplifiedmethod and apparatus for delivering printed newsmatter which would beeasy to manufacture, initially erect and subsequently replace, ifnecessary. Still further, it would be desirable to provide a systemrelatively small in size which would tend to visually blend in with thesurrounding environment.

Another difficulty often associated with the sleeve type paper deliveryunits is the propensity of the units to receive and collect moisture anddust thus soiling and/or soaking the printed material. Still further, inmany instances, it may be difficult or impossible for a resident toaccurately determine if a paper has been delivered unless a trip is madeto the paper delivery unit.

This is very irritating, particularly in bad weather.

It would, therefore, be advantageous to provide a method and apparatusfor delivering printed news materials wherein the tendency for thepapers to collect dust and moisture would be minimized. Additionally, it

would be highly desirable to provide a delivery system wherein ahomeowner could accurately visually determine at a considerable distancefrom the delivery unit whether a paper had been delivered.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objects of the Invention It is,therefore, a general object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for delivering printed material which will obviate orminimize problems of the type previously described.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a novel method andapparatus for delivering printed material which is relativelyuncomplicated in design so as to be readily and economicallymanufactured.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method andapparatus for delivering printed material which is relatively small insize and visually unobtrusive even in densely populated regions.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide 7 a novelmethod and apparatus for delivering printed material which may bereadily erected and replaced in the event of excessive wear or damage.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel method andapparatus for delivering printed material wherein the tendency of theprinted material to be soiled by dirt or soaked with moisture isminimized.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel method andapparatus for delivering printed material which facilitates a rapiddelivery system and achieves many of the desirable features ofconventional open mail delivery tubes while concomitantly eliminating orminimizing the undesirable aspects of such devices.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for delivering printed materials to individual residenceswherein the delivery of a newspaper or the like may be readily andaccurately visually ascertained even from a distance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method and apparatus for deliveringprinted material according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,operable to achieve at least some of the foregoing objects, includes aprinted material carrier comprising a bag and a stanchion operable forengaging a ground surface and supporting the bag above the groundsurface. The stanchion includes an upwardly projecting top for receivingthereover an apertured moisture resistant, flexible article containerwhich by twisting can be made weather tight. The stanchion includes acrosspiece to hold the container against twisting back to its originalcondition and to stabilize and support it against wind. The inventionalso includes the method of accomplishing the delivery of the printedmaterial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of thepresent invention will become apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of apparatus for delivering printed materialsuch as newspapers according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a stanchion utilized to support aprinted material carrier according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the stanchion disclosed in FIG. 2', and

FIGS. 4-6 schematically disclose in seriatim a method for packaging anddelivering printed material according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention including inserting the printed material in a bag, positioningthe bag upon a free end of a stanchion, twisting the bag at least 180and lowering the bag to a resting posture upon a torque stabilizingcross member connected to the stanchion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Structure Referring now to the drawings whereinlike numerals are utilized to designate like parts, and moreparticularly to FIGS. l-3 thereof, there will be seen an apparatusaccording to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The apparatus includes a printed material carrier or envelope comprisinga generally rectangular bag 12 having a closed bottom end 14 and an openupper end 16. An aperture 18 is fashioned through both sides of the bag12 and normal to a general longitudinally extending axis 20 of the bag12 adjacent the upper end thereof (FIG. 4).

The printed material carrier 10 is of the type designed to convenientlycarry a folded newspaper 22, magazine or the like.

The bag 12 comprising the printed material carrier may be composed of astretchable paper composition but preferably is comprised of a thin filmof transparent polymeric composition having properties of dust andmoisture resistance in combination with sufficient strength to support afolded paper or 'the like.

The printed material carrier is designed to be received upon andsupported by a stanchion 30 which, as specifically detailed in FIGS. 2and 3, includes a generally straight upstanding rod 32 having agenerally triangular ground engaging member 34 affixed at a lower endthereof. The member 34, in an operative mode, is inserted beneath theground surface 36 (note FIG. 1) to stabilize the stanchion in an uprightposture.

The rod 32 is preferably circular in cross section as disclosed inFIG..3 and serves inter alia to carry plate 40 affixed thereto.

Secured to the front on the rod is a crosspiece which in the preferredembodiment is a rectangular plate 40. The plate 40 is permanentlysecured to the rod by any suitable means such as welding. The plate 40is located sufficiently below the top of the rod 30 to prevent theenvelope 10, once loaded on the post, from being blown off, as by wind.It is located high enough above the ground that the top of the post isconveniently positioned for the person delivering the loaded envelopes.This will be governed by the mode of delivery, as for example, whetherby bicycle, passenger car or truck. The height of the plate 40 above theground is determined by the depth to which the rod is driven into theground.

Plate 40 serves a plurality of functions and in a first instance servesas a stop, limiting the descent of the printed material carrierdownwardly along the rod 32. Further the plate 40 serves as a torquestabilization member for the printed material carrier when the carrieris rotated about the central axis 20 thereof at least 180 in a manner tobe discussed in detail hereinafter. It also holds the carrier againstbeing twisted and thrashed around by wind. Still further, the planarsurface 42 of the rectangular plate 40 may be advantageously utilized tocarry advertsing indicia, the identity of the publication or the likedesired.

Method of Operation With reference now particularly to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6,there will be seen a schematic disclosure of a method for deliveringprinted material according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.In this connection and with particular reference to FIG. 4, an initialstep entails inserting printed material, such as a newspaper or magazinethrough the open end of the envelope.

Once the printed material such as a newspaper 22 is inserted into theenvelope 12, the apertures 18 are aligned with the axis of the rod 32and inserted over the free end 36 thereof. When the envelope has passeddown the rod 32 to seat against the plate 40, the envelope 12 is rotatedabout its central longitudinal axis 20 as indicated by directional arrowA in FIG. 5. Rotation of the bag 12 at least 180 about its centrallongitudinal axis 20, while maintaining the apertures 18, fromconcomitantly rotating, twists or consolidates the areas of thepolymeric bag peripherally extending about the apertures in a rolledshape. This action strengthens the area of the envelope in the areawrapped about the rod, thus, reinforcing the envelope against rippingand tearing as the result of wind. It also reinforces this area of theenvelope against excessive stretching as a result of the concentrationof load immediately about the rod. Further, it causes the envelope atits point of engagement with the rod to wrap tightly about the rod,further securing it against the effects of wind.

Further, and as particularly illustrated in FIG. 6, the corners 44 and46 of the upper end 16 of the envelope simultaneously fold downwardly toeffectively close the top of the envelope sealing it against the entryof moisture and dirt. This is important when delivery is made in rainyor snowy weather. It also protects the contents from being splashed withwater, mud or slush by passing vehicles. This solves one of the seriousdisadvantages of the conventional tubular delivery system now in use. Asa result of the twisting of the top of the envelope about its centralvertical axis 20, the comers fold in opposite directions, that is, onewill fold forwardly and the other rearwardly.

The envelope having been twisted to lock it to the rod and close its topis released to rest against the plate 40 (note directional arrow B inFIG. 6). In this posture, the upper most end of the envelope and theprinted material inserted therein lies against the generally planarsurface 42 of the plate 40. The plate 40 then serves as a torquestabilizer to prevent the envelope from untwisting and to prevent thewind from twisting it further and possibly rupturing it where it engagesthe rod.

While the prior discussion has been directed to an open mouth twistedbag to provide a dust and moisture barrier, in some instances it may bepreferable to seal the open end of the envelope before mounting it onthe rod to further provide a dust and moisture barrier for the printedmatter. However, when this is done, the envelope should be twisted wheninserted on the rod to obtain the reinforcing effect.

From the foregoing detailed description, several distinct advantages ofthe method and apparatus for delivering printed material according to apreferred embodiment of the invention have been specifically deliniated.

In sum, however, it will be appreciated that the subject inventionprovides a relatively small, uncomplicated method and apparatus fordelivering printed material which is inexpensive and readilymanufactured. Its original cost is only a fraction of that of theconventional tube. Moreover, its installation is also substantially lessthan that of the tube. Moreover, the relatively small size of theupright stanchion visually tends to be unobtrusive to the surroundingenvironment. The subject stanchion is easily erected and replaceable ifnecessary.

By twisting the open end of the envelope, in a single step the open endis closed against weather and the envelope reinforced about its point ofattachment to the rod. By using the upright portion of the rod to securethe envelope, the twisted portion surrounding the rod is held at anangle out of the plane of the remainder of the envelope and toward theplate 40. This biases the envelope against the plate and rod thuspositively securing it against being untwisted and torn from the rod bywind. The customer can pick up his paper simply by tipping the loadedenvelope sufficiently to clear the plate, rotating it 180 and lifting itoff the post. The customer benefits from receipt of his publication inundamaged condition and the fact that he can readily determine whetheror not delivery has been made without having to walk out to the deliverypoint for this purpose. Whereas the printed material carrier is affixedto the extension of the stanchion, delivery of a paper may be readilydetected by a homeowner, even at a considerable distance.

Still further, the foregoing advantages are achieved while maintainingthe central objective of providing a method and apparatus to facilitatethe delivery from an automobile or the like of a newspaper at individualresidences along a roadway.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferredembodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatadditions, deletions, modifications and substitutions, or other changesnot specifically described, may be made which will fall within thepurview of the appended claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method for delivering printed material comprising the steps of:

inserting the printed material within the interior of an open mouth bagmade of a thin film of polymeric material and having an apertureextending through each side of said bag adjacent the open mouth endthereof;

aligning the apertures of said bag with the free end of an upright rodportion of a stanchion operable to support the bag and printed materialcontents above a ground surface, said apertures being of generally thesame size as the cross section of said rod portion of said stanchion;

sliding the bag down on the rod with the rod engaging said bag throughsaid apertures;

twisting the bag and contents about the longitudinal axis of the bagwhile preventing the apertures from twisting to cause the corners of thebag on each side of the apertures to fold downwardly so as to close theopen end of said bag and prevent the entrance of dirt and moisture; and

vertically supporting and torque stabilizing said twisted bag by amember connected to said rod in a laterally extending posture above theground surface.

2. Apparatus for delivering printed material, said apparatus comprising:

a stanchion having a straight vertical post;

a ground engaging stabilizer member adjacent one end;

a cross member rigidly secured to said post adjacent to but spaced fromthe other end thereof;

said crosspiece extending laterally from each side of said post;

a printed material receiving envelope made of a thin film of a polymericmaterial and having an open end;

said envelope adjacent said open end, having an aperture extendingthrough both sides and centered between the edges thereof for receivingsaid other end of said post therethrough to hang said envelope and itscontents therefrom, said apertures being of generally the same size asthe cross section of said vertical post;

said envelope after being loaded with printed material being secured tosaid post by passing said other end of said post through said holes andtwisted about an axis extending lengthwise of said envelope andintersecting said holes to fold over the portion of said envelopeadjacent said open end and to fold the adjacent corners thereofdownwardly in opposite directions to close said envelope against theentry of weather and dirt;

said twisted portion of said envelope being bent out of the plane of theremainder of said envelope to bias said envelope against said crosspiecewhereby said crosspiece holds said twisted envelope against untwisting.

1. A method for delivering printed material comprising the steps of:inserting the printed material within the interior of an open mouth bagmade of a thin film of polymeric material and having an apertureextending through each side of said bag adjacent the open mouth endthereof; aligning the apertures of said bag with the free end of anupright rod portion of a stanchion operable to support the bag andprinted material contents above a ground surface, said apertures beingof generally the same size as the cross section of said rod portion ofsaid stanchion; sliding the bag down on the rod with the rod engagingsaid bag through said apertures; twisting the bag and contents about thelongitudinal axis of the bag while preventing the apertures fromtwisting to cause the corners of the bag on each side of the aperturesto fold downwardly so as to close the open end of said bag and preventthe entrance of dirt and moisture; and vertically supporting and torquestabilizing said twisted bag by a member connected to said rod in alaterally extending posture above the ground surface.
 2. Apparatus fordelivering printed material, said apparatus comprising: a stanchionhaving a straight vertical post; a ground engaging stabilizer memberadjacent one end; a cross member rigidly secured to said post adjacentto but spaced from the other end thereof; said crosspiece extendinglaterally from each side of said post; a printed material receivingenvelope made of a thin film of a polymeric material and having an openend; said envelope adjacent said open end, having an aperture extendingthrough both sides and centered between the edges thereof for receivingsaid other end of said post therethrough to hang said envelope and itscontents therefrom, said apertures being of generally the same size asthe cross section of said vertical post; said envelope after beingloaded with printed material being secured to said post by passing saidother end of said post through said holes and twisted 180* about an axisextending lengthwise of said envelope and intersecting said holes tofold over the portion of said envelope adjacent said open end and tofold the adjacent corners thereof downwardly in opposite directiOns toclose said envelope against the entry of weather and dirt; said twistedportion of said envelope being bent out of the plane of the remainder ofsaid envelope to bias said envelope against said crosspiece whereby saidcrosspiece holds said twisted envelope against untwisting.